PLANTSTRONG Snackables - Is the Instant Pot® Really Worth It?

We’re here to make PLANTSTRONG living as simple as possible and one of the topics we receive a ton of questions about is batch cooking, or prepping food for the week all at once.
Well, as the kids head back to school and we enter into Fall activities season, we wanted to talk to one of the experts about her game-changing appliance in batch cooking - the Instant Pot®.
Pam Kropf, known as "Trailmomma" on Instagram, is a long-time PLANTSTRONG athlete, a busy mother of two active kids, and in between her own training and coaching, she also works a full-time job.
She is the definition of time-starved, which is why we could think of no better person to have on this episode to talk about how she uses the Instant Pot® to make delicious, easy, and fast meals for her family.
For recipes and full show notes, visit the episode page at: plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/s...

[@KCorange]

Thank you Pam for the tip on cleaning around the rim of the pressure cooker! I always struggle to keep that clean.

[@trailmomma]

My pleasure! It was a game changer for me as it can get so dirty! Enjoy!

[@andrewsonleitner9882]

A good hack cook your quinoa on the rice setting it will come out perfect every time the insta pot will figure it all out I do 1 cup quinoa 2 cup liquid

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

Great tip!

[@susanm9078]

I love my instant pot. Great tip for cleaning the rim with the small foam paint brushes.

[@Gumbi1012]

Personally, what I like in particular about the Insta-Pot is the efficiency. You save a ton of electricity vs cooking your own beans. Massively more if you presoak! For example, I can do small beans, such as black or soya beans in about 25 mins start to finish if presoaked. Not only that, but it only requires 7 mins on the timer! If I add hot water, that's only about 4-5 mins to come to pressure, and 7 mins at pressure before it turns off, and I'll let it naturally release and cook by itself for a further 15+ mins. The reduction of electricity here is massive, it cooks the beans great. What's not to like?

[@jonihofmann3318]

Pam is a true inspiration for this healthy lifestyle. Her passion for living really shines through!

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

She really is!

[@taraharney599]

I recently cooked potatoes and lentils at the same time. I put a trivet and some water in the bottom of the pot then I put a bowl with lentils and 2xwater with room for expansion. On top of that I placed a rack and added some small potatoes on the rack and set to cook at pressure for 5 minutes. I cook only for me so this is a helpful tactic

[@iamdebmiller]

I love cooking this way in the IP, stacked in layers!

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

Super stack! Nice work!

[@iamdebmiller]

I LOVE my Instant Pot! I bought a rack that is supposed to be used to boil eggs but of course as a whole foods plant-strong person, I'd never use it for eggs. Instead, I also bought a set of stainless steel bowls with lids. I place one of these bowls on the "egg" rack, which is higher than the trivet accessory that comes with the pot. This added rack height allows me to cook beans in the bottom and grains up above in the bowl, all together at the same time, in the same pot. I only have one pot, a 6 quart model. Stacking like this requires that I cook grains/beans that have similar cooking times but it turns out there are many combos that fill that requirement. Sometimes, if I'm cooking items that require only around 6 minutes cooking time, I'll wedge in a few chunks of sweet potatoes as well, and that results in having 3 different foods cooked at one time in one pot. To round out a grain/bean/sweet potato meal I'll quickly steam some broccoli on the side or maybe some kale, so I end up with the goal I set for every plate I eat, which is to have something from these categories: beans, grains, greens, and other veggies like yellow/orange veggies. I love the pot because it doesn't heat up the kitchen, is easy and quick to fill, requires no constant hovering. I set it and go for a hike most of the time, which helps in getting in my daily exercise. It's the best kitchen appliance I ever bought.

[@GC-ms4dj]

Love making rice, sweet potatoes, and soups in my instant pot. Got rid of my rice cooker when we got the IP.

[@sarahpamula778]

I appreciated your word, "Ultra" for marathons over 50 miles. Batch cooking and soups!!!

[@michaelscoots]

Love our 6L Instant Pot! I’ll rinse Yukon golds; place the trivet accessory inside along with water just to the bottom of the trivet and boom! We’ve got steamed potatoes ready for straight up grubbing, chopped into a salad or cut into wedges for the air fryer with dulse flakes, cayenne and parsley flakes! 🌱💪🏽🙌

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

That sounds amazing!

[@joanasaad915]

How many lbs of potatoes do you use?

[@Scor-ah]

Nature sounds!! YES PLEASE...great tip for cleaning the instant pot rim..thanks

[@lorrihernandez341]

Love the cleaning tip!

[@trishmarck7798]

Excellent talk.....

[@lratley4420]

We love our Instant pots!! Never put them away, always being used. Rip you have to venture out and join the club. You will be hooked.

[@suzyq6767]

I love greens barely wilted with hot soup and eat them almost daily. Now that it's just the two of us, we use a 3-quart exclusively. I love the cleaning tip! I agree about the hot tub thing. I take a hot bath in my house all by myself. Ditto with nixing earbuds in favor of listening and awareness.

[@LJ-jq8og]

Great video series !!!!!!!!!

[@TheIndecisiveWigWearer]

I have a 6 & 8 quart IP’s and love them! They are game changers.

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

Nice!

[@lesliesalz4198]

Everyday we make steel cut oats, add cinnamon, allspice maybe nutmeg and then press start. We've had it cook the norm - 3min cook, 10 min warm and it's fine. We've also had crazy days and 4 hours later it's still warm and ready to go. If by any chance we measured the water wrong, we'll add flax to thicken and water to thin. Then we serve it with blueberries, peaches, strawberries, plums, blackberries, rasberries, bananas - any fruit in season fresh or frozen. We top it off with more cinnamon and some toasted walnuts/almonds for crunch. YUM! (For a weekend treat I'll add a dash of maple syrup :))

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

Great tips!

[@kristinheimburg1371]

Great tip about the paint sponge.

[@trailmomma]

Game changer! 😃🙌

[@MalitaJones]

I have 2 IPs - I mostly use the small one for grains. I use them almost every day, travel with the small one even if I’m just going to my moms house to cook for her.

[@karendeeble121]

Thanks Rip, I bought an Instant pot 2 months ago and was worried to use it. Now I will give it a go after listening to Pam. I feel the same about hot tubs as she does. Definitely want to make the cauliflower soup. Where do we find the recipe?

[@trailmomma]

You either love hot tubs or you don't. :) Link to recipe is in description and here: www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/snackables-instantpot

[@janferguson8583]

Great show! How do you cook popcorn in the instant pot oil free. I heard you mention it. Thanks!!

[@denaoller]

Hello! Where can I find the recipe for your cauliflower soup? Thanks!

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/snackables-instantpot

[@karanabbaticchio4749]

Hi, The recipe link gives me an error. Can’t find the page.

[@pamp3445]

Recipe link gives me an error message also

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

@@pamp3445 the link has been fixed.

[@pamp3445]

Where can you get the dragon steam diverter?

[@libbyreed8588]

Amazon

[@glennagallagher9282]

would love the soup recipe!! Can't find it!

[@trailmomma]

Link revised. In description and here : www.plantstrongpodcast.com/blog/snackables-instantpot

[@glennagallagher9282]

@@trailmomma Thank you!

[@annak3380]

Does anybody else not like using the microwave? Love the Instant Pot- I have two- and use them all the time. But heating something in the microwave just doesn’t sound healthy to me- am I wrong?

[@chedderbug2820]

You're spot on about microwaves. Trust your instincts. Research will back up the negative effects of microwave ovens.

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

nutritionfacts.org/topics/microwaving/ Dr. Greger has a bunch of info on this.

[@pamelastrick868]

What book is the Koles Cauliflower soup in?

[@trailmomma]

It is in the book The Engine 2 Diet ... the recipe link is also in the description above.

[@pamelastrick868]

@@trailmomma thx. Making some this weekend. No longer can run. Jealous! Ride my bike and hike with the dog. Happy to have found your insta!

[@Riekie1970]

Thanks for this video Pam.I love my IP.How long do you cook the yello Lentils in your IP?

[@trailmomma]

10 mins usually!!

[@Riekie1970]

@@trailmomma thank you xx

[@deela3615]

Rip only if you just use the Instant Pot for beans, it is worth the money. I still soak the beans over night, rinse them, and add fresh water. cook them, then drain and save the liquid like you would canned beans. One can be so creative , I make lasagna, pasta dishes, sweet potatoes with the stainless pots and trivet that fit inside, also rice, steel cut oats, you name it. And I'm 80, so if I can use it, it will be a snap for you.

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

Love this! Yes!

[@cynt9697]

Whether its worth or not, I cant afford these fancy things

[@cindystrother7710]

You can't get into THIS site 😭

[@Engine2PlantStrong]

the link has been repaired, please try again.

[@vernonmerrifield7277]

think that pot had a recall...fire hazard etc...might wanna check into that before walkin' outta the house with it on...might NOT be safe...burn the house down etc....just sayin'...hope this helps out

[@trailmomma]

Why it is always important to register your appliance when purchased. This one is just fine but thanks for your concern.

[@vernonmerrifield7277]

yep...not sure which models or years but easy to check it out...make sure ya got the safe version...my friend has 5 kids and uses hers all the time...turned out that she did have one of the recall models...but pretty sure they just made a swap for a non fire hazard larger one...anyway...enjoyed the interview...have fun with the runnin'